Impact of English Learner Teacher Agency on Professional Development in Light of Common Core Standards

• In Event: Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: Impacts of Professional Development on English Language Learners

Abstract

In-service elementary teachers in the Southeast US are grappling with developing informed and highly refined instructional practices that support English learners (ELs) in achieving the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Teachers are finding that they must make significant shifts in their knowledge, practices and dispositions to meet CCSS. We find that teachers’ sense of agency and self-efficacy significantly influenced their ability to build upon EL students’ linguistic, cognitive, and social resources in the classroom. These findings have informed reconceptualization of our teacher professional development program to support teachers as they make these shifts in their instructional practice.

Authors

• Lisa Pray, Vanderbilt University

• Shannon Mary Daniel, Vanderbilt University - Peabody College

• Mark Barba Pacheco, Vanderbilt University

• Robert T. Jimenez, Vanderbilt University